Kainoa Wilson attempts to slide into second base ahead of a Campbell defender. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Tryzen Rene Patricio, right, awaits Dirk Patrick Himan, left, to reach home. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Zachary Kapihe makes a pitch against a Mililani batter. Kapihe pitched for most of the match only allowing 4 hits and 2 runs. Sylvia Lee | SL

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'EWA BEACH - Zachary Kapihe did not get credit for a pitching win, but he drove home the winning run with a sacrifice fly to center in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Campbell past Mililani, 5-4, Wednesday at the Sabers' field.

It was the regular season opener for the two teams teams and an indication of how competitive games will be in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West.

The Trojans had scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 4 before the Sabers won it by loading the bases with one out to set up Kapihe's deep fly to left-center, where all Milllani center fielder Kainoa Wilson could do was make the catch with his back to the infield and no chance of throwing out the runner.

"To give up the lead in the top of the seventh and to fight back, load the bases pretty much with hits, we clutched-up a little bit," Campbell coach Rory Pico said.

On the other side, it was a good sign for the Trojans knowing they could rally from an early deficit to tie the game.

"We learned we can battle with anybody," Mililani coach Mark Hirayama said. "We just need that same effort from inning 1 to inning 10. I think we'll be OK."

Kapihe pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, four hits and two walks with three strikeouts before giving way to third baseman Keola Himan, who gave up the tying run before getting the third out. Kapihe had labored through the first two innings. He walked two with two out in the first and escaped harm, but allowed a run on the second that included a wild pitch on a swinging third strike.

"He was pumped up," Pico said. "When I went out to talk to him, I could see the adrenaline in him. I told him to breathe and calm down and he was able to settle down."

He threw 34 pitches the first two innings, but only 56 over the next 4 2/3.

The Sabers took a 4-1 lead into the top of the seventh, but Kapihe hit Justice Nakagawa to start the inning. Kapihe got Dallas Chung on a foul pop to third baseman Himan and retired Chase Miyachi on a grounder to shortstop that moved Nakagawa to second. Wilson's line single to center scored Nakagawa to pull the Trojans to 4-2.

Himan switched positions with Kapihe. After Wilson stole second - this second theft of the game - he scored on Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi's single to left to make it 4-3. Souza-Paaluhi took second on the throw home, putting the tying run in scoring position.

"The whole bench was yelling 'two' (meaning to throw to second)," Pico said. "The infielders were yelling 'four' (or throw home). I guess instinct took over. That's something we have to learn from. Hopefully, we don't make that mistake again."

The right-handed hitting Micah Yogi then hit a cue shot off the end of the bat just inside first for a run-scoring single to tie the game at 4.

"I got it where I wanted it," Himan said of his pitch away from Yogi. "He just had a good bat on it."

Ty Desa's single to right sent Yogi to third. Desa took second on a wild pitch, as Yogi held third. But Himan struck out Sean Sonognini on a 3-2 fastball to keep the game tied.

"It was a full count, so we just went at him with a fastball outside," Himan said. "I hit my spot and was able to get him swinging."

In the bottom of the seventh, the Trojans replaced starting pitcher Cole Nakachi (six innings, seven hits, four runs, three earned, two walks and two strikeouts) with Trevor Inouye. After Dewayne Sprinkel struck out, Himan drilled a fastball for ground-rule double to center. Dorrien Villanueva-Hermosura was intentionally walked and Blayze Arcana-Llacuna's single to right loaded the bases to set up Kapihe's game-winning sacrifice fly.

"He did enough to keep us in the ball game," Hirayama said of Nakachi's outing. "We didn't help him with a couple runs there that we gave up."

Himan picked up the win in relief with one-third of an inning pitched. He allowed a run, three hits and struck out one. Inouye took the loss, allowing a run, three hits and an intentional walk with one strikeout.

"Trevor made some good pitches, but (the Sabers) put the ball in play," Hirayama said. "The big hit was the double by Himan. Those things are going to happen. They had the five, six (hitters) coming up."

The Trojans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Nakagawa led off with a double to left-center. An out later, he advanced to third on a wild pitch on a swinging third-strike that allowed Miyachi to reach first and put runners at the corners with one out. After Miyachi stole second, Nakagawa scored when Wilson grounded out to second before Souza-Paaluhi grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Sabers tied it in the bottom of the second. Villanueva-Hermosura led off with a single to right. An out later, he moved to second when Kapihe grounded out to the pitcher when he tried to bunt his way on and scored on Tryzen Patricio's single to left-center. Nakachi walked Jake Mendoza but got Zachary Recolan on a fly out to left, ending the frame.

Campbell broke the tie in the third. Sprinkel singled to left-center with one out and went to third on Himan's double to left. The runners advanced when Villanueva-Hermosura grounded out to third to make it 2-1. Arcano-Llacuna's RBI single to left made it 3-1. Arcano-Llacuna stole second and scored when shortstop Nakagawa dropped Kapihe's pop up behind shortstop before Patricio struck out to end the inning.